Dark Cinderella
by Lady Abbess
Summary: It was nearing Halloween and the Drama Club decided to present a play with the help of both the Host Club and the Black Magic Club. Rewriting/Hiatus
1. Chapter 1

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Instincts told him to run but the intelligent part of him told him to take it like a man and yet all he could do was stare dumbly at the wretchedly pink piece of paper he held in his left hand while the other clutched at his chest fiercely. He could not believe his eyes and his throat had run dry. Oh, the humiliation burned bright red on his pale cheeks as he closed his eyes, hoping everything would go away. 

Nekozawa Umehito was to play the role of Cinderella in the Halloween presentation of the Drama Club.

Can you now feel his pain?

"Ah, look everyone! Nekozawa-senpai's to play our lead female character!!!" The president of the Drama Club, Hazuki, announced, snatching from him the paper and waved it in the air to have everyone's attention. There was a murmur of what seemed to be dull approval even if the occupants of the room had dubious expressions on their faces.

Flashlights were aimed at Nekozawa as the Hitachiin twins started to declare their disapproval. "Why him?" Kaoru asked, holding the light directly at his senpai's face, watching him cower from it. Nekozawa cursed them, although feeling gratitude for them because they might be able to release him from shame, and eyed the looks his club members were giving him. "Why not have a girl play the role? Or some guy who'll looks better as Cinderella? Senpai has grotesquely pale skin and scary eyes." Hikaru added, flicking his flashlight on and off. "Yeah, there aren't many girls in the Drama Club left sp why not a guy who looks feminine enough?" With this, the two looked at Fujioka Haruhi. "Like Tono, for example, he looks kinda like a girl If you ask me." They chorused, deciding to tease Suou Tamaki instead.

The King of the Host Club glowered at them, saying that he'd be best as Prince Charming rather than the darling maiden. In his little mind theater, though, he was speculating what he would look like as a female and when nothing good came to mind, he saw Haruhi in his place as Cinderella, causing him to blush profusely.

The twins suspecting something darted towards Tamaki and dragged him off, saying that they need to knock off a few flies from their King's head, disappearing from sight.

Hazuki, Drama Club president, cringed. When her subordinates said that having the Black Magic Club and Host Club to help them out was a bad idea, she never expected this. If it weren't for the lack of members, most have graduated last year and she had only succeeded the previous club president, she wouldn't have asked for help. Only a few auditioned to be in the club and that was the reason behind all of this. The two clubs were her only hope, none of the other clubs have agreed, and if all fails, the Drama Club would be gone for good.

"What the twins were saying was true, Hazuki-san." Ootori Kyouya smoothly said. "After all, Nekozawa-senpai is far from being Cinderella. They simply have nothing in common." He continued.

"Kyo-chan's right, Ha-chan!!! Cinderella is so cheerful and always smiling and Neko-chan is too scary…" Haninozuka 'Hunny' Mitsukuni exclaimed. "Isn't that right, Takashi?" He turned to his cousin, Morinozuka 'Mori' Takashi, who just nodded in reply.

"Yeah, if you want Nekozawa-senpai as Cinderella, the play would be a disaster!!!" The twins were back again, followed by a grumpy Tamaki, leaving the others to wonder about what they've been doing for the period they were gone.

"Unless you make a major change in the script, have Nekozawa-senpai play a Cinderella that suits him. It is a Halloween play so a Dark Cinderella seems to be in order." Haruhi, always the logical one, pointed out.

Hazuki lightened up. "That's it!!! No wonder you're a scholar student, Haruhi-kun!!! Yes, a dark Cinderella for our Halloween play!!! What do you think, guys?" She asked everyone.

Counting out the other Host Club members and the Black Magic Club – Haruhi, Hunny and the rest were happy about the idea. Actually, more intrigued but still, happy. The Halloween atmosphere was starting to grow on them as they continued with the casting.

"Haruhi-san, you might want to be a part of the play as one of the characters. A lot of girls wanted to see you on stage." Hazuki smiled at 'him' as she rattled the box, where one would pick out the paper that contains their role, in front of her. "Who knows, you might actually be a bad guy for once in your life." She went on, pushing the box to 'him'. Haruhi just sweat-dropped, wanting no part in it at all when Hunny-senpai, with bits of cake still on his face, bounced up and down, "Come on, Haru-chan!!! See what role you'll get, it'll be fun!!!"

_easy for you to say…_ Haruhi thought, remembering that Mori and Hunny were assigned with the refreshments.

Sighing, Haruhi inserted (**a/n: **Bah… I'm tired with writing 'him' or 'he', I'll just say she because we all know that only a chosen few know Haruhi's secret!!!) her hand into the hole on top of the box and picked out a colored blue paper and handed it to Hazuki.

Nekozawa grimaced when the role was announced and shrieks of "NOOOOOOOO!!!!!" filled the room as Tamaki slumped on the floor, sobbing by Kyouya's feet. "Mother, do something!!!" He blubbered. "There's nothing I could do, Tamaki. It's Hazuki-chan's decision that counts." Kyouya replied, obviously amused although wary too of Haruhi's role. The room was silent as the Black Magic club members all had their jaws dropping to the floor and the Drama Club stood, stupefied. The twins had fainted and Haruhi just stood there, wondering why everyone was making a big deal of it.

"Neh, Takashi, isn't it fun that Haru-chan's Prince Charming?"

"Ah."

Nekozawa banged his head on the wall.

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	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** I was asked by venG if Nekozawa knows that Haruhi's a guy, well no. He does not. And so does everyone else, aside from her fellow Hosts and everyone's thinking that two guys are playing the lead roles. Imagine what would happen if they kiss, OMG!!! Actually, I'm freaking out right now, my brain's a lumpy, stumpy, jumpy little thing right now. Can't function very well. Oh well.

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**DARK CINDERELLA**

_Chapter Two_

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Making a script that was suitable for Nekozawa Umehito was harder than it seemed, Hazuki wryly decided and so she enlisted the help of Host Club's self-proclaimed manageress, Renge, who was playing evil stepmother as well. The orange-haired teen was sitting in a corner, eyeing Nekozawa with sharp eyes, studying his every move and gesture. If it was Hazuki under Range's scrutiny, she would've freaked out already, but since Nekozawa –senpai's Nekozawa, he took it all in a stride, awkwardly waltzing with Haruhi in the middle of the room (still wearing his Black Magic Club apparel). Hazuki had suggested they do the waltz first, knowing that two guys paired with each other in a play would make them uncomfortable, more uncomfortable than being paired off with a girl. She had considered having the Hitachiins play Prince and Cinderella, but since they're twins, the play would instead become The Cinderella Twins. Besides, their brotherly love act might have the play be inappropriate. She cowered at the thought. It was then that Nekozawa chose to trip flat on his face. 

"Hazuki-chan. I told you he'd trip." Renge popped in beside her.

"I can see that."

"My ten, please."

"Fine."

Haruhi crouched down and extended a hand to her senpai, who was busy cursing the bloody idiot who had wished for him to fall down in front of everyone, making him lose all the dignity he had left. "Senpai, are you alright?" She asked, finding herself ignored. "Senpai, would you like to stand up now?" She asked again, and was ignored again. "Senpai, Bereznoff's laughing at you." She tried again, receiving a reaction as her senpai quickly sat upright.

His inky black wig was in disarray and he tugged at the skirt he had been forced to wear by the twins underneath his black cloak, frowning and grumpy. "I simply cannot do it, Haruhi. This is the first time I've ever danced in women's clothing. And I cannot act, I'm sure you know that." He told her, being his dark, scary self. Obviously, he was annoyed and he casted an eerie look at Tamaki, who was looking intently at him, and thought that he was the one who wished that he tripped, judging from Tamaki's uneasy stance. "Do you mind if I curse your club president?" He asked her.

Haruhi shrugged in reply. "I don't mind, although I think you shouldn't. We have to practice, Nekozawa-senpai."

"Cinderella should be at least depressed and of a tragic history. She may be of royalty, her father being a duke or a governor, to say the least, and her mother was a sickly woman, who died giving birth to her. Then her father remarried someone who wants nothing more but his money and status. He thought that remarrying would make the pain he feels inside ease a little, even a teensy bit, but was too overcome with his sorrow that on the night before Cinderella's seventh birthday, he did suicide and was found hanging on a tree by the old well of the manor. Cinderella becomes maid to her stepmother and stepsisters, taken advantage of and abused. She wishes for freedom but remains hidden in the dark, knowing that everyone believes her to be missing, thinking she disappeared after her father's death. She knew no one in the town and the only thing that gives her comfort was a little puppet that she named Bereznoff, made by her mother during the period she was nursing her in her womb." Renge recited, writing fast and furious on her notepad, glancing every now and then at Nekozawa, who looked confused as Haruhi.

"In her mind, her stepmother planted the impression that she was the one who was responsible for parents' deaths. Our Cinderella is a dejected girl. Her birthdays weren't celebrated and she was dressed in rags and old clothes that used to be her mother's. Oh, and I forgot, she's got a soft spot for animals and they befriend her after tending to an injured little bird. They were the ones that helped her every time." She continued, pausing in a bit to rest her frenzied hand. "Do you think you've gotten that, senpai?"

Nekozawa absent-mindedly nodded, "A bit, but I wasn't listening properly."

"Oh dear, you should pay more attention. I don't want to repeat myself. Don't worry; I'll give you a copy of my notes to get you into character."

Haruhi met Nekozawa's gaze and both shrugged, knowing that it was not the time to argue with Renge.

"Anyway, that's what I've thought up so far. Go on with your waltzing, you two. Your steps are flimsy and your posture's bad, work on it!!!"

Nekozawa's reputation as the notorious Black Magic Club president seemed to have failed to reach Renge's ears as she commanded him and Haruhi around, bossing them to do what she thought was appropriate for their act as a couple.

"We'll let you do the kiss after you've perfected the waltz." Renge finally concluded.

Hazuki was beaming from ear to ear in delight. "Renge-chan!!! You're a real lifesaver, do you know that?!?" She exclaimed. "How could you have possible come up with that stuff?" Renge held up her hand to silence her, saying, "My dear Hazuki-chan, you would never ever ask a magician her tricks, right? Help me with the one for the royal ball; I'm out of juice at the moment."

"Hai!!!"

"Where's my ten?!?"

Haruhi and Nekozawa looked at each other, alarmed. "K-kiss?!?!" They stuttered, flabbergasted but just watched the two leave. "You guys have forgotten, right?" A member of the Drama Club walked up to them. "It's the stress. Take a breather for a moment, they're not here anyway. Man, that Renge is a force to deal with; all psyched up and the way she builds character is scary and mechanical." He laughed for a bit, but scurried away quickly under Nekozawa's ill-timed scowl.

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_Kiss…_

The Host Club wasn't taking all of this lightly, except for Hunny because he wanted to see Haruhi play the role of Prince Charming so badly, and all eyes were on the pair in the corner, continuing their awkward waltz after a minute's rest.

Tamaki wasn't his magnificent self at the piano as he started the tune, playing as if his fingers were on autopilot and his heart wasn't on the piece, and occasionally his eyes would dart to Nekozawa's right hand on Haruhi's waist and the left holding hers. He was in a dark mood, especially after hearing that they were going to practice kissing too. Perfection was a good thing in plays, but if that was the case, Haruhi kissing Nekozawa more than once, perfection wouldn't be necessary then.

The twins, assigned as dressmakers, were making mistakes with the measurements of the actors and actresses, particularly the evil stepsisters. They no longer had to measure Renge anymore though; she got the role of evil stepmother and already had a dress in mind. Hikaru often held the measuring tape too tight or too loose while Kaoru had pricked his finger on a pin more than twice, and for once, the Hitachiins forgot their brotherly love act.

_Waltz…_

Kyouya, his mood was that of his Shadow King persona, and he quietly cursed to himself, making frequent errors that were proof that the pairing for the play was affecting him. He just couldn't concentrate hard on job, accounting all the expenses the play was going to have, the ticket sales and he also was the one deciding on the audience capacity. _Shouldn't that be someone else's job?_ His eyes trailed away from his laptop screen and halted to the pair. _Nekozawa seems to be having a lot of fun… He really shouldn't. _He glared at him and quickly looked away, when Nekozawa turned to glance at him.

_Cinderella…_

"We should have cake for everyone afterwards; it would be hard work rehearsing for the play, neh? Besides, our job is refreshments, right, Takashi?" Hunny chided, nudging the tall boy and smiling brightly at the waltzing pair. "Haru-chan is so kawaii, she could be Cinderella too!!!" He continued, "But I want her to play Prince Charming. You too, Takashi? I think she'll do great!!!" Mori simply nodded and watched Nekozawa fall flat on his face again, more comical than before because he had tripped ungracefully, but the whole room was silent as he lay flat on Haruhi, noses brushing and faces red.

_And her Prince Charming…_

"Oh my God, you are brilliant, Nekozawa!!!!!" Renge squealed, entering the room again with Hazuki. She pulled him fast away from Haruhi and dusted him off, "I like that, what you did!!! Cinderella will have an accident, and that was how they were going to kiss!!!! But first, I shall think of a way to force Cinderella to the ball." Renge posed dramatically, as Hazuki extended a hand to Haruhi and pulled her up. "Maybe someone or something asked her to, a letter from Mom or something, saying 'I wanted my daughter to a lady, one who dances with elegance and grace. It is my only wish.' Yeah, something like that." Hazuki offered. "Maybe, but I have to think this one out properly. Hurry, my dear Hazuki, let us end this session now and head to the library for research!!!!"

"But you left a while ago!!!!" One protested.

"You should not interrupt a genius at work!!!!" Renge screeched.

"Really now, is screeching necessary?" Nekozawa winced, rubbing his poor ears and glowered at Renge with all his evil madness. He had been standing so close to her and had not walked an inch away when she screeched so loud. _Should I curse her for all eternity? Rob her of her voice and seal it away in some useless object like in the Little Mermaid?_ Underneath his cloak, no one could really tell what he was thinking and he could think all that he wanted and felt another blush creeping to his face. He just recalled the near kiss accident that he had with Haruhi. _I did not just nearly kissed a guy…_ He thought Bereznoff was laughing at him. Oh the shame, oh the utter horror of it.

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**What Happened During The Next Two Days of Rehearsing...?**

_Bereznoff the Fairy God Puppet_

Everybody was thinking if they should put in a fairy for Cinderella's transformation or just let Death hang around for a while with his mean, kick ass scythe to scare Dark Cinderella into going to the Prince Charming's birthday bash. Fine, the ball but it was the same thing. But Renge and Hazuki both thought that it would scare the audience too if they'd put Death in the story. They should at least add a cutesy magical factor to the play and alas, Bereznoff the Fairy God Puppet was born! With big, freaky eyes on a catlike face, he's sure to be a winner! Do you suppose it would work? Maybe, Renge conceded, wanting to give it a chance.

_Cinderella, Cinderella, where art thou?_

One time during rehearsals, Nekozawa Umehito disappeared from the room, much to the others' amusement and Renge's chagrin. It was very unfortunate because they were going to start with the lines from a few Acts that were already done. Haruhi suspected something and approached the twins, who appeared very suspicious at the time, and demanded what went on. They confessed their deed and told them that they hid Nekozawa's Bereznoff and cloak so he wouldn't come to practice. Nekozawa was returned his cloak and faithful puppet and went back to practice.

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**A/N: **Many more practice mayhem to come and the actual play itself at the very end of this story. I hope you like this one, please review and tell me. I could use some suggestions too, since I'm new to the pairing, and this is the first Ouran fic I've ever written. Although I think Blackmail was posted first… I don't know… Till next time then!!!! 


	3. Chapter 3

Dark Cinderella

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_Chapter 3_

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_**Nekozawa and the Fan girls of Doom**_

"Ah, kawaii!!!" Several of the girls shrieked.

Renge was more ecstatic than them, she had sparkles in her eyes and she awed. In a tone so unlike her, she kept on rattling how everything was so perfect. And with every word she delivered, the fan girls nodded enthusiastically, hanging on to everything she was saying as she pranced around the room, loving it.

"Haruhi-kun," One boldly whispered, "You're really handsome in your outfit."

Another nodded. "Yes, like a real-life prince!"

"Do _really_ like it?" Haruhi asked, not really caring for their answers as she fidgeted with her silken costume, itchy and annoyed with all the ruffles. Her doe brown eyes held no evidence of it though, and it was inner Haruhi raging with disdain. _Damn rich bastards with their ideas for a play…_ They could've just picked out a simple costume, but no, they just had to give her on with the irritating ruffles and all.

"Hitachiins!!!" Renge yelled, turning to them. "Good job!!!!"

"O-KAY!!!!" The twins yelled back; the three of them having a thumbs-up exchange.

"Ah, look how Haruhi looks in those clothes, Kyouya!!! Isn't it divine?!" Tamaki clung onto Kyouya, who growled and whacked him on the head with his laptop (seriously). The French blonde had been bothering him all morning and used up all of his patience thus the raven-haired Shadow King could not bear it anymore. The King of the Host Club hadn't expected it and was hit squarely on the head; he twitched and before fainting, said, "Ooooooh, I'm… seeing pretty colors…"

"Wahhhh!!!! Tamaki-kun!!!!" The fan girls screamed.

"TONO!!!!"

"Is Tama-chan dead?" Hunny rushed to the fainted Tamaki and shook him.

"Mitsukuni, it isn't safe…" Mori went and dragged Hunny away.

"I want cake."

"Well, that was random." The twins shrugged.

"Oh well." Hikaru took a hold of Tamaki's left arm while Kaoru the right arm and they dragged the poor corpse away from sight.

Haruhi sighed and looked purposely at Kyouya. The junior read infuriation all over and fixed his glasses on the bridge of his nose, as if they were slipping off. He caught Haruhi's gaze and gave a 'what are you looking at?' look. She sweat-dropped; it was not pleasant to mess with an angry Kyouya.

"Ne, where's Nekozawa-senpai? He's taking too long!!!" Renge exclaimed. "Hazuki!!!!!!"

A door opened and in came the Drama Club president, huffy and irritated. "Arrrrghhh!!! Senpai, get in here and don't be such a baby!!!" She exclaimed, tired after trying to put up with a jumpy blonde haired man and making him wear a dress, all the while with him refusing to take of his cloak and puppet.

"I don't want to." The Black Magic Club president's voice floated from the other room.

"One more time that you give me that reply, senpai, Bereznoff will be toast; I warn you." She grinned maniacally and held up the poor puppet and a lighter.

"Wait!!! Fine, I'll come out. Just don't… my poor Bereznoff… don't."

There was silence as the young man strode into the room in the periwinkle gown that the twins made for him under Renge's direction. It had taken precious minutes to convince him to come out in broad daylight, wearing nothing but that. For little Kirimi, Hazuki had told him, because she had invited the little girl to come watch their play. He loved his sister dearly, everyone knew that, and the knowledge of it was taken advantage already. He scowled and made careful steps on the carpeted floor to prevent another shameful bout of tripping. Oh, what would his subordinates think of him now?

"Oh… My… God…!!!!!!!!" Renge shrieked.

_Was there something wrong with the dress?_ Nekozawa panicked.

"PERFECT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

_Perhaps not._

"Nekozawa-senpai, kawaii!!!!!" Several girls squealed and a few even fainted.

Underneath the black cloak and wig, Nekozawa would pass as a bishounen in the shoujo mangas they read. Surpass was the term, actually. He was a god; handsome, prince-like. In the gown the twins had made for him, he passed as the lead female role. Even guys would fall head over heels for him, but Nekozawa couldn't bear that and shook the horrible images from his head. He looked at his partner and wondered what he thinks of the get-up. He looked at his club's members and cringed, his pride from a while ago crumbling.

"It looks real nice, Nekozawa-senpai." Haruhi complimented him.

"Ah, yes, thank you…?" He never learned how to react to a comment.

_Oh dear, look who's blushing…_ Renge smiled madly and patted the twins on their backs, unaware of the looks they shot the senior student, after they've come back. Tamaki, again, was nowhere in sight. Hazuki sighed. She'll just have to wait until their pianist revives to rehearse the waltz. In the meantime, they'll start with handing out the other part of the scripts and practicing on how to say them. Her scriptwriter, luckily, was a fast and industrious worker. On the first submission of the first part of the draft, she had approved it already because it seemed that they have the same mind. Also, let's not forget Renge. The three of them were birds of the same feather.

"Ano, Nekozawa-senpai, you look real good in that dress…"

"Uh-huh. If you're Cinderella, could I be the Prince Charming of your life?!"

"What you said sucks ass, oh Neko-chan, please pick me to be your lady-in-waiting so that I may serve you for many years to come!!!"

Nekozawa sweat-dropped. _There's nothing I could say to that… Fan girls are crazy!!!_

He looked around, hoping for a savior. Noticing Haruhi's barely there amused look, he mouthed, "Help me", which was somehow understood by his kouhai and saw him walking towards them. _Hurry!!! They're coming closer!!! No, stay back!!! Ah!!! Someone just clung to me!!!!_

_Divider_

Mischievous as they were, Hikaru and Kaoru snickered in amusement at the way Nekozawa was reacting to the fan girls. If only Kyouya allowed them to bring video cams to school, they would've captured moments like that. Haruhi disagreed greatly of the video cams, too. She said something about "torment and evil; rich bastards' antics." They pouted and were a bit put-off that their little toy and Kyouya were party-poopers. Both turned their attention back to Nekozawa and laughed when he somehow froze after another girl clung onto him.

_Divider_

Kyouya hid behind his black notebook, the wry grin on his face unseen by the others. _Nekozawa-senpai may look similar to Tamaki but he's nothing like him. There's the fear of light and now… his apprehension of fan girls… _He scribbled like mad, wanting to take note of everything he was seeing right now. Afterwards, he'll review them and make use of the valuable things he could use in certain situations.

_Divider_

"Ano, will you please let go of my partner, now? We need to practice our lines; I'm sure I can't get it right without him." Haruhi said.

A fan girl blushed deeply. "Oh, okay, Haruhi-kun…!!! Ah, wait here…!!!" She let go of Nekozawa and stepped back, urging her friends to do the same. After a few minutes, her senpai had become fan-girl free and unfrozen.

"Seriously, senpai." She said to him after they've gone a bit farther from the girls. "Can't you handle them on your own?"

"I would've if I could…" He said with a hiss. Shame made him irritated and knowing that his subordinates had seen him earlier added more to it. _Where had the real Nekozawa gone to?_ The play and all the antics it brought along must've managed to chase away the one he was truly. But it did bring good benefits; he didn't feel as if the light wanted to melt him. He could last longer outside the confinements of his dark room and Kirimi was happier because of it.

_**Periwinkle and Royal Blue**_

"Alright, let's start rehearsing the script now. Everybody put up a good show now!!!" Hazuki exclaimed, flapping around a director's megaphone, her voice loud enough without it. Renge whooped loudly, ordering everybody to get everything prepared. The two of them were extremely fired up; everyone was smothered by their enthusiasm. Nekozawa found it annoying. Haruhi sweat-dropped; she inched away from him, wanting to avoid the aura of evil that was enveloping Cinderella.

"Where were we now?"

"We're in the part where the stepsisters were tormenting Cinderella, Hazuki."

"Thank you, Renge."

_Those two are so formal… But still weird…_ Nekozawa shuddered and pondered if he makes a run for it. He wanted to be in the confines of his dark room of evil where he would be safe from rabid fan girls and two crazed females who seemed to have nothing better to do than torture him with the social wickedness of plays and culture. And he was getting more unnerved than usual, poor Bereznoff was held captive by them. No one was there to help him because his subordinates couldn't do anything too. _Have I mentioned that Renge and Hazuki are crazy?_

"Nekozawa-senpai!!! Time for you to rehearse your lines now, and you two!!!" Hazuki waved to him and barked for two students he hadn't expected to be the two stepsisters at first.

The Hitachiins marched to them, grinning malevolently. "Are you ready for torture all over again, senpai?"

Yes, the twins were the stepsisters. He was so surprised by it last week but now, he was used to it. And yes, they were evil too. He wondered how they were able to integrate into their rehearsals their 'brotherly love' act. And it took all of his self-control not to twitch in apprehension. Especially with the part where they were supposed to be excited about the party and getting ready.

Renge handed him the other part of the script and asked him to go through it, then they go on with reading the lines.

"Five minutes, Nekozawa-senpai." Hazuki told him as she handed the twins theirs.

A Hitachiin coughed and recited, "Oh my!!! A letter from the palace!!! A royal ball for the prince's birthday!!! Oh my! Oh my!"

"What should we wear?! Oh mother, what dress do you think he'll like?! Of course, he should like me, I'm the oldest!!!" His twin continued.

"They're just so perfect for the role…" A fan girl sighed.

Nekozawa twitched in his pretty periwinkle gown.

_Divider_

Haruhi had gone through her script and felt that she understood how the prince must've felt when there were people nagging you to do something you'd rather not. _Damn rich bastards…_ Even if pretending to be a boy had its perks, it sure has its down side. Like having fan girls swarming all over you when you're trying to focus on your lines. She breathed deep and went on reading them, itching in all the ruffles her royal blue prince outfit has.

_Divider_

"You know, Renge. I was wondering…"

"What, Hazuki?"

"In the fairytales, there wasn't much of a romance between Prince Charming and Cinderella…"

"So?"

"They haven't gotten to kissing that much…"

"It was a story for sissies. But you know what?"

"What?"

"I've thought about that too."

"Really? Then what happened?"

"What if Prince Charming kisses Cinderella before she leaves in her carriage as a goodbye?"

"Sweet…"

"I know."

The two of them laughed.

"What do you think?"

"Huh?"

"Should they do it?"

"Haruhi and Nekozawa?"

"Yeah."

"But they're guys, aren't they?"

"I know…"

"Wouldn't it be weird?"

"Cinderella's wearing a gown out of leaves and trash, isn't that weird already?"

"Touché."

"Let's have the two kiss each other, shall we?"

"Sure, that would be fun to see."

They laughed again, unaware that a bespectacled young man and a half-French blonde zombie heard it all.

Tamaki twitched. _This is not going to be good…_

Kyouya smirked. _This'll be fun to see. Wait till the twins hear about this…_

_Divider_

**A/N:** So, what do you think? To kiss or not to kiss? Please review and tell me. Happy reading!!!


	4. Chapter 4

**Dark Cinderella**

_Chapter 4_

_**Brilliant idea or Crazy Mistake?**_

Hunny bounced around the room happily, totting around his little Bun-Bun along and Mori, who was constantly picking up everything he might bump into or fall because of his hopping. He gave an exclamation of delight and imagined what would happen during the actual play, and placed a paper plate of strawberry shortcake on one of the make-shift tables. "Wouldn't it be fun, Takashi?! Haru-chan gets to have her first kiss with a guy!!!" He said when no one was listening to him but Mori.

Mori gave a little nod but with a hesitant voice, "I suppose it would be fun."

He never really liked the idea as much as his cousin.

_Divider_

Kaoru could not believe his ears when it was announced. "Haruhi's going to get kissed by Neko-Neko?" He repeated over and over again. _That's crazy!!!_ He shook his pinkish orange head and tried to fuzz the images burning in his mind. "Neh, do you think we should do something, Hikaru?!" He turned to his brother, who had mysteriously disappeared.

"Why does he get to kiss Haruhi…?" A voice moaned somewhere, almost inaudible.

Kaoru looked around and saw that his brother did a Tamaki and was moping in a corner of gloom, surrounded by kanji symbols for "despair".

He sweat-dropped.

Expect Hikaru to have a really different, and unexpected, reaction.

_Divider_

As much as he wanted to see the kiss actually happening, the Shadow King was having second thoughts if he should allow it. (For real!) There was the possibility of profits increasing drastically, but a little part of him was refusing for the kiss to happen. He expected it to be jealousy, but more of envy. Yes, the Shadow King feels emotions, too, but not that much when it comes to other people. Only with Haruhi for the girl had found a special place in his heart already. He was rather fond of her.

And it should be him whom she should be kissing.

_Don't forget that Nekozawa doesn't know she's really a girl. What if a single kiss leads to something else?_

Really, he wouldn't have that.

Maybe he'll raise his objection to Renge later after she's done with her enthusiasm, and maybe he could have Tamaki and the twins' support as well.

_Divider_

"I will raise hell." Nekozawa muttered, hiding in the confines of a rather roomy closet that he found empty in the dressing room of the Drama Club, where he was forming plans on how to curse Renge and Hazuki to sinister oblivion. There was no way he was going to kiss a guy!!! Wait; there was no way he was going to kiss anybody!!!

For quite some time now, he thought that he was the evilest creature prowling through the halls of Ouran High School but he was proved wrong. He stood corrected. No, sat corrected, I mean. Two existed in this universe. And they were insane. Like Kirimi was when it comes to her shoujo manga.

"Senpai, are you okay?" There was a knock on the closet door.

"Who is it?" He snapped, the eeriness to his voice was successfully coming back.

"Uh, it's m-me. A member of the Black Magic Club, Taylor…"

"Well, what is it that you wanted from me? I don't have all day."

"Hazuki-san wants you in the other room right away. And there was something else that Renge-san added that I didn't fully understand… Something like, 'rat poison… and rope…'"

"I see. Tell her that I have an appointment with their club's closet and it could not be postponed."

"Uh… H-hai…?"

"Adjourned."

There were footsteps moving further away from him, and then they stopped, followed by a loud shriek and then several others.

_Maybe Renge's torturing them by now…_

"I hate it when this happens…" Mutterings he heard from the other side of the door and he recognized the voice.

_Haruhi's…_

"Senpai, are you in there?" She asked.

"Yes."

"Renge wants you to come out. And Hazuki-san seems to be planning on using the ropes she ordered Mori-senpai to get."

"I'm perfectly safe if I do not come out of here."

"Don't be stubborn, senpai. Seriously, you're acting like a baby."

"A Nekozawa is not a baby. Well, maybe Kirimi but I hope you got my point." Nekozawa sported a dark grin that no one could see.

"Your voice is very creepy, don't you know that?"

"And yours is very girlish, don't you think?"

_That's because I am a girl…_ Haruhi thought wryly.

She sighed in defeat because she knew that there was no way she would manage coaxing Nekozawa out of the closet when he was as stubborn as a mule.

"Have it your way, then, senpai."

Another pair of footsteps joined them and another voice greeted Haruhi's, while Nekozawa still hid, feeling completely safe inside the closet.

"Neko-senpai, you're giving everyone so much of a hard time. Why don't you get your lazy ass outside before I kick it hard?" Hazuki bad-mouthing him meant she was close to becoming totally pissed.

"Kissing Haruhi was not part of the agreement."

"It is now. And you can't back off now, senpai."

"And why can't I?"

"No one else is fit for the role."

"But Haruhi's male."

"So?"

"What do you mean, 'so', Hazuki?"

"It's just a single kiss, Neko-senpai. Like a little 'choop'!"

"What in the name of Cinderella insane is a choop?" He asked, annoyed.

"It's a sort of kissing sound."

"And?"

"Oh come now, senpai!!! It's just for the play…!!!"

"No."

"Please?"

"Whatever." The young Nekozawa heir was not going to give up just yet.

The Drama Club president huffed and stomped away.

"Successful once again. So, still want a word with me, Fujioka, about us kissing?"

"Actually, senpai, I'm not very into the kiss. It's very awkward, you see. But I'm sure Kyouya-senpai won't be too happy if I refused." _Surely, he'll raise my debt because I rejected the opportunity to gain more profit. A large part of the total sum will go to the Host Club Hazuki-san had said… Would it be affected if I said no?_

"I see. But Bereznoff tells me that it is against our beliefs; he already disapproved of my participating in this."

_Really? What sort of beliefs do you have?_ "Sou ka, senpai."

"But thinking about it, you are rather dreadfully feminine. It would not be difficult to have someone and kiss you."

"Eh?" Haruhi was surprised with both his statement and contemplating tone.

"Would you mind it if I decided to kiss you?"

"Ano… senpai… You're not joking, are you?"

"Do I sound like I was joking?"

"Uh… no? I mean, are you? Because it's not that funny…"

"It wasn't supposed to be funny. And I'll make it a point that I am serious."

Haruhi could not just believe her ears. _Is he really considering this…? Even I was thinking of withdrawing from my role…_ She wondered what expression was on Nekozawa's face as he was speaking the words that came out of his mouth. The guy was still locked up inside the closet, leaving her to sweat-drop and squirm under the calm, somewhat cold, eerie tone in her senpai's voice.

_He reminds me of Kyouya when he should be like Tamaki…_

There was a creak and she watched the closet door open as Nekozawa stepped out of the wooden furniture. She gulped and there was no telling what would happen. He cleared his throat and beckoned her attention. She was tense and unsure. He grinned darkly and came closer. "I've been having second thoughts on you, don't you know that?" He said. She shook her head and kept her doe brown eyes on him. "Your eyes, for example. Feminine. The way you smile, feminine still. Your voice, too soft and girlish. I've been formulating my doubts on you for the days we've been together practicing. And seeing the reaction on your face now, I've reached my conclusion. I know for sure, Bereznoff tells me so, that you are indeed a girl… And…"

"And what, senpai?"

He inched in on her, coming closer until there was no more space between them but fair millimeters. The grin on his face grew and his breath ghosted on her face, warm and husky. "I'm a guy, and you're a girl so… There's nothing wrong with kissing a girl, right…?"

"W-what…???"

Nekozawa grabbed her and stroked her hair.

And that was when his lips crushed against her own.

_Divider_

**A/N:** Aaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't believe I wrote this too soon!!!! But anyway, oh my God!!! I really like this scene above. Well, do you?

_Nekozawa:_ I did.

_Abbess:_ Really?

_Nekozawa:_ Yes.

Squee!!!! I'm getting giddy and fan-girlish… But can you blame me?!

_Divider_

"What are you doing?" A blank voice broke their moment.

Nekozawa looked up. "Mm?" And he saw the 'cool' type, Ootori Kyouya, standing by the doorway, a glower directed at him. He stopped the smirk that was making its way to his lips and looked questioningly at the Shadow King. "Is there something I can do for you?" He asked, his voice not failing to annoy the hell in Kyouya. The glasses hid the expression in the young man's eyes and it somehow disappointed Nekozawa, for he was hoping to see jealousy in them. _Don't like what you see, Ootori? I'm pretty sure that you don't…_

"We were wondering where our kouhai has gone to." _I never expected this… Damn him…_

Tamaki had decided to join Kyouya inside too, and froze up instantly. "W-what on e-earth a-are you d-doing with H-Haruhi?!?" He stuttered, seeing his daughter locked up in his rival's arms, beet red and shocked.

"It seems that Nekozawa-san decided to go on with the kissing scene and started practice. If you're pretty busy, I'm terribly sorry that I bothered you two. Excuse me please…" Kyouya had exited the room, leaving Tamaki there.

"_Y-you!!!!! H-how dare y-you!!!!_"

"It was part of the play." Nekozawa responded.

"B-but it d-doesn't actually m-mean t-that you h-have t-to snog each o-other here…"

"Well, that's your problem then. Haruhi here had no objections, isn't that right, love?" He referred to Haruhi as he started to toy with Tamaki.

"I-I… S-senpai…" Haruhi tired to explain weakly. _I have nothing to do with this…_

"I really think I deserve being 'Dark Cinderella', don't you think?"

_Divider_

"WHAT?!?!?!"

Kyouya had just broke the news to the others and got the twins enraged.

"How dare he?!?" Hikaru yelled loudly.

"And here we were thinking that he would immediately refuse!!!" Kaoru joined in.

"Takashi, this isn't good, isn't it?"

"Aa… We shouldn't have let Haruhi go fetch him earlier…" He had addressed his last sentence to Kyouya, who said nothing at all, and thought that he was feeling something wrenching his gut. Mori couldn't figure out what the feeling was.

"Blame definitely goes to this darn play…" A quiet Tamaki slid in between them, kanji for 'despair' around him.

"There should be something done about this matter." Kyouya concluded.

"Yeah? Like what?!" There was no denying the mixture of anger and sarcasm in Hikaru's voice.

"We withdraw from the play." Mori proposed.

"Hazuki-chan would be crushed!!!" Hunny berated him.

"It's for Haruhi's good." His cousin responded.

"Demo…!!!"

"We do something that wouldn't hurt Hazuki-san, okay?" Tamaki whispered.

"Like?"

"Murdering Neko-Neko then filleting his corpse and feeding him to the sharks – we're sure that would work." The twins spoke together.

"Forget that I asked." Tamaki quickly rebutted.

"Anyway, we just do something about it." Kaoru said apologetically for they were becoming irrational.

"We need a good plan, then." Hunny joined in, clutching Bun-Bun, and worrying for Haruhi, who had not yet emerged from the room she was in with Nekozawa.

_Divider_

**A/N:** Hi, guys. Sorry if you think this one's too short. Will make it up to you next time. I just hope you'd review and tell me what you think or if you have any suggestions. Just came back from a Youth Congress in Baguio. _Napakalamig pala dun, ano?_ I was shivering the entire three days we were there… Well, anyway, see ya soon!!!


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer:** I do not own OHSHC. If I do own it, this entire fic would've have happened.

**A/N:** Wai, I got a lot of reviews now!!! Well, not that much but at least I _have_ reviews!!! I'll work harder on this one then... That reminds me, I've been neglecting my other babies. bawls I'll make sure to get them updated very soon!!! sniffs I've been saying that for months and still… sobs I'm such an idiot!!! wails

And really, no offense to Mr. William Faulkner and people who like 'A Rose for Emily'. It's just the twins' reactions, not mine. I personally love it, the story. So no offense, pretty please!!! And to homosexuals out there, it's Bereznoff's opinion. I like being with gay people. They're all so jolly and happy, very fun to be with. It's also very nice to see them dressed up as girls, seeing that they like it and they all look very feminine.

_Bereznoff the Fairy God Puppet presents…_

**Dark Cinderella**

_Chapter 5_

_**Neko-Neko's Week**_

_It was a stormy day in his sight, and Bereznoff was fuming. Yet he was never one to blame others – it was because he wasn't one to point fingers at someone, he'd curse them to oblivion right away. His hands itched to wrap around something and strangle. Preferably, Hazuki's neck. It was a Saturday and the wretched woman decided that they meet at her house (mansion) for a four-hour rehearsal. And had stashed away Bereznoff somewhere in the house, probably in a dollhouse of her sister because the little girl kept on squealing on how cute the puppet was._

"_There's a letter from the royal palace, auntie." He spoke, trying hard to sound feminine while enduring hoots from the Hitachiin twins._

_Renge swayed dramatically, laughing with a small, exaggerated voice. "A letter from the palace?!" She horribly screeched, like a pale, fat witch dressed in gaudy garb. "Ooooh, my daughters!!! My lovely, darling daughters, come, come!! And Cinderella, you silly girl, here, too. Now!"_

_He sighed and walked to her, carrying an empty envelope, as the twins hurried to Renge like a pair of drenched Gremlins, strutting like women._

_A Hitachiin coughed and recited, "Oh my!!! A letter from the palace!!! A royal ball for the prince's birthday!!! Oh my! Oh my!"_

"_What should we wear?! Oh mother, what dress do you think he'll like?! Of course, he should like me, I'm the oldest!!!" His twin continued._

"_Now, now, dears. We shall come to that." Renge patted their heads. Then, eyes shining with joy, "Can you believe it, my daughters? The prince had invited us to a royal ball. Let us all be pretty and charming for the prince that he may choose one of you for a wife!!!"_

_There were sparkles in the background and blooming red roses as mother and daughters clutched each other and rejoiced._

_Nekozawa twitched._

_Bereznoff soared into the air out of nowhere, a menacing aura surrounding the toy and curiously, a little red ribbon was glued to its left ear, awkwardly giving it a very feminine appearance._

"_Oh dear." Someone whispered._

"_No way.."_

"_I think I'll head to the bathroom…!!!"_

"_Me too!!!"_

_Several pairs of legs rushed out of the living room as the puppet landed on top of Nekozawa's head. The young man looked blankly at Bereznoff, observing the strange thing glued to it. "I never recalled letting anyone give Bereznoff a makeover." He calmly said._

_The ones left in the room: Renge, Kaoru, Hikaru, Tamaki, Hunny, Hazuki, Mori, Kyouya and Haruhi, all cringed except for the three mentioned last. It was as if Nekozawa had sprouted horns and a tail, swinging around a deadly pitchfork. He surely was the devil himself._

"_I wonder who that imbecile would be."_

_Nekozawa inched closer to them, a dark grin on his face for having finally a reason to curse someone and send him on his way to the fiery gates of hell. It was so good to be back on business. "No one knows, I suppose. Well, let me give you a hint on what I'd do to that person who had stuck on a flimsy accessory to my Bereznoff – I have one of those wooden Bereznoff pieces and a marker, I'm not hesitant to use them._

"_Just tell me who and only on him shall my wrath descend. I promise I'll be gentle…"_

_Tamaki and the twins gulped, Hunny clung on to Mori, wailing, Kyouya was staring and slightly unnerved, and the only one who stepped forward was Prince Charming._

"_Waahhhh, Haruhi!!!" Three, startlingly high-pitched, voices shrieked. _

"_Nekozawa-senpai, you're making too much of a fuss over a single ribbon." Haruhi said, plucking Bereznoff from the silently fuming Black Magic Club President._

"_I am not."_

"_Yes, you are. And it's easy to get the ribbon off Bereznoff, see?" She said, carefully removing the thing off the puppet. "It was clumsily done, and Miyuki-san was the one playing with Bereznoff earlier. Surely, you wouldn't have cursed a little girl, senpai. You're just being childish."_

"… _Still…"_

"_No more buts, ifs or stills, senpai. The problem is solved and so we continue rehearsal. We've already spent four minutes on this matter."_

"_Mm… Sure, Fujioka, whatever you say." Nekozawa turned around and propped Bereznoff someplace high enough so Miyuki would not be able to reach it._

_He looked back and watched the guy for a while, why does he feel suddenly calm whenever Fujioka's around?_

Nekozawa had retreated back into the closet, heart thumping madly and face pale. _Exactly, what had I just done earlier?_ He could not believe that he had just kissed Fujioka Haruhi. Of course, he was being all dark and eerie earlier but he was just trying to toy with her, to see her reaction. And he wanted to see her face when he told her he knew of her true gender. _Bereznoff would surely get mad!!!_ He frowned and fingers unconsciously reached for his lips – lips that had touched hers… _Oh sweet Dark Lord!!! It wasn't my intention…_ Well, part of him, he supposed, but another half told him to stop it. And then, to his gradually decreasing luck, Kyouya had spotted them, followed by Tamaki.

"What am I going to do now?" He moaned, tortured by his situation and the want to kiss the girl again, whom he knew had drifted to a corner to get her wits in order again. It was his entire fault and he knew that it would be very awkward between them from now on.

"You are an idiot, Nekozawa Umehito…" He said scathingly.

"_Daughter!!!" He heard Tamaki cry as he flung himself at the Fujioka boy, wailing loudly when they were recessed for an hour and the Host Club had the whole living room to themselves. Nekozawa had walked in on them, unnoticed, and he stepped away a bit, standing by the door to watch the amusing scene. Why had the half-French simpleton called Haruhi 'daughter' and not 'son' when surely he was a boy? Could it be possible that they have all sorts of secrets Nekozawa could never have dreamed of? Thinking about it, he barely knew the Host Club and had no right to form conclusions despite of one forming in his head as he kept on looking at Haruhi._

"_Senpai, I'm okay. Nekozawa-senpai hasn't done anything bad and I just helped him with Bereznoff so no big deal! And no harm done."_

"_But still…!!!"_

"_I'm fine, Tamaki-senpai. Let me go now."_

_Tamaki had turned to Kyouya. "Mother," He whined, "Do something and act like a parent!!! You're just standing there while your daughter is probably suffering from some sort of crazy curse!!!"_

_Kyouya just looked blankly at him before saying, "Father, let go of your cute daughter."_

"_Wahhh!!! Kyouya-mama is so mean!!!" The blonde sobbed harder and flailed around._

"_Mom is right, Tono. You're keeping Haruhi all to yourself," A twin said._

"_Such a pervert." The other sneered._

_And they continued with their teasing._

_Ah, so Tamaki calls people whatever he likes to call them, disregarding their gender. Curious. Therefore, he had no right to think that Haruhi was a girl when he called Kyouya 'mother'. How silly of him, Nekozawa thought as he played with Bereznoff for a while before looking back at the group. But Tamaki would do better as the mother hen, seeing how he tends to act like one, and he preferred Kyouya to have the father role since he appears fit for it. Suoh Tamaki was an idiot._

_Nekozawa chuckled quietly to himself, placing other doubts formulating on Haruhi on a shelf at the farthest corner of his mind and walked out of the room, making no sound, unaware of the intent gaze Mori had on his cloaked figure until he had gone away from sight._

Being considered the most logical one in their group, one should terribly be flattered but if you were someone like Fujioka Haruhi, who the word was never invented for, one wouldn't even notice it all. And what happened was tremendously illogical, one she couldn't understand, one that was never supposed to happen but did. It was surprising and most of all terrifying, and the redness of her face still hadn't gone away, she was sure of it. Nekozawa-senpai was a strange creature, his fear of light the very largest factor, yet she hadn't expected… that… that kiss… especially from him. He also knew of her gender secret but showed no signs that he did. _Was he pretending? But why then, what is his reason?_

There was nothing to gain from it, nothing. Yet he popped into her mind again, lips on hers and it irked her that she had rather enjoyed it somehow, in a morbidly twisted way as the guy beheld no obvious interests on her. Oh how she was mistaken. And now, everything was shoved up her face, screaming, _look at me!!!_

_How has all of this started?!_

She patted her left cheek and bit her lip, not knowing what to do.

"_A Rose for Emily is a truly enjoyable read, Kaoru, so leave me alone." The Fujioka boy had said, absently-mindedly turning the page as he tried to swat away the Hitachiin's attempt to distract him. "But Haruhi-chan, it's really creepy!!! Look at that!!!" Kaoru had cried, pointing at a section of the page, "She refused to bury her dad's corpse!!! Isn't that disgusting?!_

"_Oh, that is so yucky." His twin, Hikaru, had joined him. "She did what?"_

"_Don't make me repeat myself, Hikaru. It's disgusting."_

"_Fine, I heard it the first time anyway. Why are you reading that?!"_

_Haruhi frowned at them both. "I just wanted to, you two. Now, shoo. Go torment somebody else unless you wanted to join me in reading this one. The next story is interestingly as gruesome as this one."_

"_Uh, I just don't understand your tastes – a heroine should be into romance novels, not some creepy short story."_

_Now, Nekozawa couldn't tell who was who and he wondered why Haruhi could be a heroine._

"_Come on, let's play with Hunny-senpai and Mori-senpai then!!! 'Guess who Kaoru-kun is' game, doesn't that sound splendidly fun!!!"_ _They skipped off, holding each other's hand and earning squeals of "Moe!!!" from the few girls that were there._

_They have ended their rehearsal that day and thankfully, no more ribbon-on-Bereznoff incidents came. A lot of people have decided to stay until dinner and that was what he had winded up doing too, due to a half-French simpleton and the Shadow King, as what his friends call him. The blonde had said something about, "lacking proper manners… Dear me… I wouldn't… leave until dinner is over… blah… blah…" Like the twins have said, "all crap, Tono."_

_He glared at the blonde before turning back to the one his eyes couldn't seem to be taken off of. The one with the mixed-up gender, the Fujioka boy. He had to admit that the guy wasn't manly enough. More feminine than masculine if you asked him, such a shame for a guy with the not-so-exaggerated good looks. He laughs like a girl, smiles like a girl and everything about him was too girly. He disliked it but couldn't understand why he simply was so taken by it. It was a forbidden interest of sorts, ones similar to Kirimi's mangas and the shonen ai ones he comes across when shopping for a new stash of volumes for his little sister._

_Hunny had bounded over to the couch the Fujioka boy was sitting on and sat next to him, asking what he was reading._

"_It's nothing, Hunny-senpai. I know you don't like scary stories so I won't tell you about it. I hope that's okay with you."_

"_Mm!!! Haru-chan's so nice – he thinks about Hunny-senpai!!! I don't like scary stories that much; they make me stay up all night. I get so scared." Hunny's eyes watered and the girls once again gushed on how cute he was._

_Haruhi just smiled and patted the blonde senior lovingly on the head._

_Nekozawa cannot look away for even a second, let alone blink, and unashamed, he stared on and observed the warmness of Fujioka's smile, the kindness in his aura and how he appeared to glow. Nekozawa liked that smile, and Bereznoff likes it too. It didn't scare him even if it was such a bright kind of smile. He knew he was attracted and at the same time, knew that he shouldn't be. It was confusing and disturbing._

_And it somehow scared him._

_At this, he turned his head and met the glazed look of the Shadow King Kyouya, who seemed to be in a bad mood. Under the safety of his cloak, his fixed stare was hidden from the man and only he knew it conveyed annoyance and contempt._

"Nooooooooooooooo!!!!" It was the strangled cry of the young man being wrenched away from the inside of the closet as two vixens, Renge and Hazuki, joined force with the twins, wanting him out in the open. "Leave me alone, you crazy crowd!!! I'm better off in the confines of this rather roomy closet than face the outside world, wearing nothing more than a hideous gown with the palest shade of blue I have ever seen!!!" _I wouldn't have to deal with Haruhi too!!! It wasn't really my intention!!! I snapped!!! _He inwardly bawled.

"Oh come on, senpai!!! The outside world isn't that bad!!!" Hazuki exclaimed, wrestling his arm away from the cabinet door.

"Yeah, you need to see some light!!!" Renge added, "You are very pale!!! As Cinderella, you needed such a jubilantly vibrant glow!!!"

"What am I?!" Nekozawa barked, "A woman?!?"

"In the play, yes, you are a woman!!!" Kaoru yelled, still miffed.

"Ah, damn it!!! Leave me be!!! I'll… I'll c-curse you…!!!! No, my precious!!!" Bereznoff was disposed in Hikaru's jacket's left pocket.

"Stay outside and I'll give it back!!!" Hikaru screamed the loudest, pulling at the Russian's torso; his anger wasn't at low levels yet.

Haruhi just stood there and watched, not wanting to have any contact with Nekozawa and any part of his body. _Especially those lips of his…_

"We're not done with rehearsals yet!!!!"

"I don't give a damn!!!"

"What?!"

Renge turned to Haruhi. "You go ahead and tell everyone that we're just getting senpai ready, okay, Haruhi-kun?" The girl simply had no idea of the episode the two just had earlier.

Haruhi nodded and left the room.

"_Haru-chan, let's eat cake!!!" Mitsukuni waved from across the room propped on a chair besides Mori and having a slice of cake. Just how many could the boy eat in a day? Nekozawa was feeling sick just looking at him. They have just eaten dinner, fantastically tastier than the ones he eats at home since the cook doesn't whip up a whole entrée of food of variant cuisines, and yet the senior was stuffing his face with different favors of cakes._

_Haruhi, who had just come from the bathroom after dinner, nodded and said to wait a while._

_Nekozawa wondered on what he will do when the first year approached the table where he and four of his Black Magic Club members sat, smiling at them with the same bright smile of his._

"_Neh, would you guys like to have cake with us? Hazuki-chan is serving plenty."_

"_Ano… I'll pass… I don't think my stomach can handle it any longer…" _

"_I want to… Demo, my dad's picking me up soon… He wouldn't appreciate it if I stuffed myself too much. He'd say that I have no shame and that I have violated Hazuki-chan's hospitality so much…"_

"_Gomen ne, I pass too… Stomach overload…"_

"_Me neither… I can't breathe…"_

_Haruhi sweat-dropped and Nekozawa realized that it was just him left – he felt as if his heart heightened a notch than normal._

"_Oh, I wouldn't mind a slice or two… Ano… Fujioka-kun…" He mumbled and felt something warm wrap over his hand. Looking down, he saw that it was the Fujioka boy's hand._

_Holy fishcakes!_

_If only his face weren't so girly, if only Fujioka looked more masculine, he would've scowled and wrenched his hand away. But Fujioka was Fujioka, and Fujioka was too feminine for his own good, he just fidgeted and sweated a lot as he was pulled away from his table and to the Host Club's._

_There, Nekozawa met Mori's intent stare and Kyouya's steely gaze._

_Something was up with the Host Club and he didn't know just what._

_His thoughts were interrupted by Tamaki's screech and attempt to check up on his 'daughter'._

**Interval Interval Interval Interval Interval Interval Interval Interval Interval Interval Interval Interval Interval Interval**

Neko-Chiisai noticed that the chapter wasn't going to end soon and tried to scowl, only to end up with a cute pout. Oh yes, he was Nekozawa's chibi inner version and he was kawaii as Neko-Neko was hot. And yes, he was as impatient as the real one and hated really long chapters so he decided to go over to Lady Abbess' house, just to ask when the story will end.

So bringing a smaller, and much cuter, Bereznoff with him, he slipped on his little cloak and walked down the street, waddling really like all little toddlers do.

"I really don't like long chapters, Abbess-chan." He said, arriving at her front door and finding her dangling off a window.

"Really?" Came the reply.

"Yeah… And why're you dangling off the window like that?"

"It's my midnight ritual, actually. It gets the blood back to my noggin after trying to come up with a chapter that's decent enough to be a chapter."

"Ah-hah-hah, I didn't get it but let's pretend I did."

"So does that mean I pretend that you aren't an idiot?"

"Uh-huh… W-what?!? H-how dare y-you!!!!!" Neko-Chiisai flailed Bereznoff about. "I-I'll curse you!!! You're s-such a m-meanie!!!!!"

"Neh, kawaii!"

"Yeah, yeah." Neko-Chiisai waved her off.

"Well, come on then, Chiisai-chan is there anything else you wanted to say?"

"Uh, nope… Why?"

"Do me a favor, then, and address my readers!"

"You want me to do what?"

"I said I want you to address my readers! Are you deaf?"

"Of course, I am not!!!"

"Do as I say if that's the case!!! And make it cute!!!"

"Tch…" His teeny-weeny voice grumbled. "Here goes: Hello minna!!! I hope you liked this chapter!!!" He gave a little wave and flopped Bereznoff a bit. "Oh, and Lady Abbess wants you to review!!!" And instead of a dark grin on his face, it was a really, really, really adorable smile coming from Neko-Neko's inner version.

**Interval Interval Interval Interval Interval Interval Interval Interval Interval Interval Interval Interval Interval Interval**

_Haruhi found peace in the solemnity of her bedroom, continuing to read Faulkner's short stories collection, 'These Thirteen'. She had finished with 'A Rose for Emily' a few minutes ago and had started poring over the next story presented by the book. She was exhausted with today's practice and she did not look forward to similar activities. And the play took most of the Host Club's time, thus having no place for meeting designators in their schedule. "Sometimes, I wonder how I'm gonna pay my debt…" She murmured, turning a page._

Those flashing lights come from everywhere  
The way they hit her I just stop and stare  
She's got me love stoned  
Man I swear she's bad and she knows  
I think that she knows

_Her phone flashed the name Hitachiin Hikaru and thought with annoyance what on earth he wanted that evening. With a cross between a sigh and a huff, she flipped it open and looked at whatever message the older twin sent her._

From: Hitachiin Hikaru

HarU-cHAn, aIn't IT a LOvelY eVEninG?

No, ME and KAORU ain't gonna bother you but look at a couple of jokes WE found!!

_As usual, it was just a message full of jokes and silly nothingness but the need to be amused was in her and so she read. A few of the gags were funny and earned her giggle or two, but some were a bit serious and reflected the complex nature that was in the twins._

(6.)

Heard from couple in a park…

Boy: Will you come back to me?

Girl: Why? Do you like girls again now?

(7.)

Here's one that might make you think:

Why do we close our eyes when we sneeze?!

Have you ever tried sneezing with your eyes open?!

If you ask me and Kaoru, Haru-chan,

It's because it's a person's natural reaction to cringe and steer clear

From gooey, icky stuff

Like the snot coming from one's nose…

_She blinked. It was an interesting question but the answer given was rather childishly stupid, as expected from Hikaru and Kaoru, who proved to be both cynical bastards. They were hopeless nutcases but there was nothing she could about them. Yet, thinking about it, they were exactly like the nutcases lawyers encounter during trial – only the twins were just prankster evildoers and not psychotic killers or others of the same sort – she needed the practice._

_Her phone sounded again and it was a message from the other twin. She groaned and opened the envelope-like icon – the message popping into the screen._

From: Hitachiin Kaoru

Haru-chan, I know I'm a little prying if I ask you this, but I'm worried about the others.

They seem a bit off ever since the rehearsals for the play.

Do you like Neko-Neko?

You look like as if you do, I've noticed it myself. And the others might've as well, especially

Mori-senpai and Kyouya-senpai – both are creepier, Haru-chan.

They freak the stripes of my socks!!!

I won't mind if you do…

You know me, Haru-chan, I'll understand.

Just be honest, do you like him?

As in like-like him?

Kaoru --

_She had to admit that she was wronged. Kaoru was weirder and she couldn't understand what he meant by liking Nekozawa-senpai. "I don't like the guy and what did he mean by 'I've noticed it myself'? And so did Mori-senpai and Kyouya-senpai?"_

She walked in, finding Mori, Tamaki, Kyouya and Hunny huddled in one part of the room, away from the rest. It didn't went unnoticed by her eyes the sad look Tamaki gave her, Hunny's watery eyes, Mori's strange expression and the resentful glint in Kyouya's eyes. _Oh, so Kyouya-senpai and Tamaki-senpai told them. No wonder Hikaru was pissed. _It wasn't a happy atmosphere that surrounded them when she approached; it was one that conveyed the static apprehension they held her in. No one was happy of the incident. And it made her more ashamed. She knew that she had just hurt everyone's feelings but her brow furrowed, thinking that the damn rich bastards were being obnoxiously airheads again. _They act as if it's my entire fault. Dam them!_ She decided to just ignore them as she sat down on a chair far from them.

_If that's how they wanted to play so be it!_

Nekozawa's screams of refusal could still be heard from the dressing room as well as the twins', Renge's and Hazuki's efforts to pry him out of there. "Damn it, senpai. Quit kicking me in the gut!!!" Hikaru yelled. "I SAID 'LET GO'!!!!" Renge shrieked. "If you… won't… cooperate… Fine. Hika-kun… Get the damn puppet burned!!!" Hazuki loudly announced. "WHAT?! NO!!!!! Give me back Bereznoff!!!"

"Nuh-uh, give in and cooperate first!!!"

"FINE!!!!"

"ALRIGHT!!!"

After the compromise, the five marched out, dishelved and in different levels of irritation with Hazuki having the highest. It seems that their early exorcism of the vampire drove the current Host Club dilemma out of the twins' minds. Haruhi just hoped that it would just remain that way, maybe until forever.

The doppelgangers as Tamaki would call them, bounded over to Haruhi and winked at her, showing her that they were not angry at her. "We know it's not your fault." Kaoru mouthed while Hikaru cleared his throat and stepped forward. "Hello, Haruhi-kun, I wonder what you would like for your snack? Coffee…? Tea…? Or maybe… um… Me?" He ran a hand through his hair and acted roguishly charming, much to the happiness of the moe-loving girls with them. Kaoru laughed and nodded approvingly, "That would work as a good pick-up line, Hikaru!"

"I know!!! Ain't I brilliant?"

"Oh sure you are."

"Everyone, sorry to keep you waiting, Neko-senpai's finally agreed to go on with the play." Hazuki grinned cheekily.

At the mention of Nekozawa's name, six heads turned and started burning a hole through his head, and he had to cringe inwardly at their actions even if he was smirking on the exterior. It somehow felt good that he knew they were all jealous of him and Haruhi kissing. _Oh God, I mentioned kissing again…_Neko-Chiisai bonked him and said that he "go get a life, will you?" Brown doe eyes widening as his lips molested hers burned in his mind and he sparingly shook his head wanting to forget before he does something stupid.

"Ah, that's great, Hazuki-chan!!!" A member of her club exclaimed.

Murmurs of approval followed but it didn't miss Nekozawa's ears that they were half-heartedly given.

After all, he was the Black Magic Club President.

But they have no choice because he was their Dark Cinderella.

**Interval Interval Interval Interval Interval Interval Interval Interval Interval Interval Interval Interval Interval Interval**

I so wanted a breather!!! Please bear with me for a while and let me gather my wits again. My head is so swimming somewhere else and I think I'm starting to not make sense somehow. Where was I? Oh yes, a breather!!!

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Inhale!

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Ready for Round 2?

**Interval Interval Interval Interval Interval Interval Interval Interval Interval Interval Interval Interval Interval Interval**

"_My darling daughter, keep away from these doppelgangers!!! They've got those hideous clothes with them again!!!" Tamaki wailed as he rushed to his 'daughter's' side. Nekozawa had to stifle all efforts to ask the reason behind the nickname for Bereznoff had told him to shut up and not bother at all. It was a Sunday and yet he had not gotten the peace he wanted, "And I still have to deal with these damn faces…"_

_The Host Club seemed to have planned a grand picnic that day, Kyouya had informed him, and that it was Tamaki's and twins' idea. The Shadow King had refused hotly at first, seeing no profit or even a point in all of the nonsense until Hunny had begged him to agree because he already had in mind what food he'll bring. Kyouya had no choice so he agreed. Tamaki whooped and huddled with the twins to plan on the activities they were sure they'd enjoy as well as to ponder whether they'd do it their way or the commoner's way. At this, Kyouya said that they should do it their way because none of them had an idea of how commoners hold their picnics except Haruhi, who declined to make any mention on the topic._

"_Neko-chan, would you like some cake? Or maybe cookies? Do you like cookies, huh? Takashi brought meringues and oatmeal cookies, isn't it great?!" Hunny had clambered on to Nekozawa and poked his cheek gently, although he was hesitant for the young man might curse him, waiting eagerly for the answer._

_Bereznoff sensed no harm in the senior and so Nekozawa had any option but to pick from the sweets settled on the gay red picnic spread._

"_Maybe I'd have the oatmeal cookies, senpai."_

"_Okay!!!"_

_He was handed a small plateful and he picked one up, knowing that that kind of cookie wasn't too sweet._

"_Senpai," Haruhi tapped him on the shoulder and gazed at him. "How did you end up here?"_

_He chuckled. "It was a long story."_

"_No, really? And you didn't refuse? Or scare them off?" Haruhi was surprised. Who wouldn't be for it was expected of Nekozawa to try and curse anyone when he could?_

"_I did not do any of those. I just agreed." He gave him a lopsided grin that was at least visible from where he sat next to him. "Oh, and Fujioka – I just wanted to know – why does Suoh calls you 'daughter'? Isn't it inappropriate?"_

_For a moment, he thought the boy had frozen up but he heard laughter coming from Haruhi and was a bit taken aback by it, "Is there anything funny?"_

"_Oh, sorry… I… I mean, he j-just prefers calling me… daughter because… he thinks I look more like a girl… Ha… Haha…"_

"_I thought so too. But isn't it a bit stupid?"_

"_When has Tamaki-senpai became so smart?"_

"_You have a point. Would you like some oatmeal cookies?" He held out the plateful and placed it on Haruhi's lap. "I'm not used to sweets. Have some, for my sake."_

"_Ah…" The Fujioka boy tentatively took a few and popped one into his mouth._

_It was only then that he noticed how slow the boy chews his food, probably savoring its taste, before he swallows and it got him really interested about it. 'If I feed him brackwurst would he do the same?'_

"_Ehem! Senpai, we'd like to have cookies too!!!" Hikaru and Kaoru propped themselves over the picnic spread, grinning like Cheshire cats from ear to ear, and one nudged Nekozawa with his foot. He glared at both but all he got was the same, annoying grins their faces were still wearing. 'Damn, these two…' Bereznoff offered to hex them but decided it would only result into nothing for the two were crazier than hell._

**It gets pointless so I'll go on with what happened in the present…**

"My dear prince, we should go on with this ball, and invitations are sent!!! It would not do us good if we take them back – the ladies would be broken-hearted!!!" A small, Drama Club member squeaked and it hurt her ears – honestly. It was one of her greatest exasperations in the entire rehearsal, the squeaky voiced vizier who most likely would rattle on with the royal ball had it been on the script.

She sighed and propped her elbows on the armrests of the chair she was sitting on, feeling bored. They've been going on again and again with the same scene since Hazuki and Renge claimed that she was not looking bored enough earlier. _I hope they'll be satisfied now because I'm bored than I ever shall be bored…_ Everything was beginning to be loopy rewind of things, it was annoying.

Her eyes looked blankly at her royal subjects and blinked. _This is annoying…_

"I really think we should go on with this!!!" The small chap exclaimed, "After all, your Highness, it is your birthday."

She frowned, "It isn't necessary – I just got older. No need for such extravagance. I just wanted to have a simple celebration. And I can't dance… I don't know how and it would be just a disaster if you force me to."

"B-but your H-Highness!!!!!"

"Please, let's talk about something else." She said with a hint of finality in her voice.

"PERFECT!!! That's what I was looking for, Haruhi-kun!!!!" Hazuki exclaimed. "Finally, let's move on to the next scene. Everyone in that scene, move it!!!"

Haruhi flipped over her script and looked at the scene following hers. "Is there any more scenes after the next one?" She asked. Hazuki looked at Renge, who shrugged and said, "No, I don't think so. We're only given allotted time by the school council to practice here so I suppose we continue tomorrow, isn't that right, Hazuki-chan?"

"Ah, yes. True, true. Anyone excluded of the scene can go now."

"OH YEAH!!!!!!!!!!" The twins jumped up in unison and gave each other hi-fives and thumbs-ups.

They bounded over to Haruhi and dragged her out of the chair, all the while complimenting her on how the blue compliments her very nicely and how it gave her a more masculine look. "But," Kaoru started, "I don't like the crown on your head. It's the sort that Tono wears all the time – how about a hat, Hikaru?" His twin contemplated on the suggestion and, after two minutes, nodded, "I knew something was off. You're such a genius, Kaoru! Let's make a hat, something that fits with the color of the costume and with ostrich plumes. We'll talk to Renge-chan about this later. Are you gonna go home early, Haru-chan? We can drive you home!!! I'm sure Tono would make the same offer so we decided to be the first ones to make it!!!"

"Ah, I refuse. I'm waiting for someone, I hope you understand." With something that could be compared to bitterness in her eyes, she glanced at Nekozawa and nodded at him. "We need to talk and I mean it. Big time."

"Haru-chan, I'm so proud of you!!! You got over the aftershock!!!" Kaoru exclaimed, while Hikaru just smirked, "If you have to. Go talk to that bastard and let him know that when he plays with fire, he's bound to get burned sometime."

"Arigatou, you two – it really surprised me, you know, since you were the ones who understood me now."

"Anything for Haru-chan!!!" They chimed.

"See you tomorrow, then." She shooed them off and hurried to change into her normal clothes.

"_You've been spending an awful lot of time with Nekozawa now, Haruhi." The voice had told her so smoothly that she was certain that it was Kyouya behind her. She turned to look at him and question him about the earlier statement, "Is there something wrong about it, senpai?" The Shadow King shrugged and his eyes held something that she could not point out, "I hold nothing against it. I am just to remind you that you are under the male category and that Nekozawa is not aware of your female status. Just mind yourself, Haruhi, or he might learn something we don't want him to find out. Do you mind if I ask you a question?"_

"_I don't. Go ahead, senpai." She responded very curtly._

"_Is there any chance that you hold an interest in Nekozawa?"_

"_W-what?"_

"_You have heard me the first time for sure, and I will not repeat myself again. I need to protect the club, Haruhi. Please cooperate."_

"_No. I have no interest in him, if you're talking of romantic interest in Nekozawa-senpai. Why do you ask?"_

"_Plain curiosity."_

"_I doubt it."_

"_I'm sure you do but I have no plans in indulging you with my thoughts. Excuse me but we are going to open in three minutes and there has to be no delay for we have exactly one hour for Host Club proceedings before the Drama Club rehearsals."_

"_You sound annoyed."_

"_Of course, I am. I find this troublesome and it takes all my self-control to rear in the itch of strangling a blonde bubble-head. See you."_

_He left as quietly as he had appeared and she watched his towering figure through the mass of furniture in the Third Music Room and past the twins who were meddling with Tamaki, with Hunny cheering them on while Mori stood in the background with no word._

_She moped for a while and wondered what on earth the youngest Ootori was going at with the conversation they had, why he had the strange gleam in his eyes._

"Yo!!! What do you think of our acting?! Aren't we brilliant?" The twins cried out loud, the volume in their voices increasing, "I know we are so you guys don't have to reply."

"Oh great. Isn't Haruhi going home yet?" Kyouya rolled his eyes.

"Nah. She wants a word with Neko-Neko – she's real mad." Hikaru grinned.

"Scary." Kaoru added.

"What do you mean 'she wants a word with Neko-Neko'?!?" Tamaki yelled at the two.

"Volume, Tono, please. She wants to talk with him, get things straight and why he kissed her. It's all mad stuff, we tell you."

"And you're okay with it?!" Kyouya asked, incredulous with the twins' frivolous actions.

"Uh-huh. Something the matter?" Hikaru studied his fingernails while Kaoru placed an arm on Kyouya's shoulders, "Haru-chan's just going to have a chat with Neko-Neko. Are you jealous…?"

"Excuse me, but why should I be?"

"He _kissed_ Haruhi. Do we need to give you more reason?"

"Leave me alone."

"MOTHER!!!! WE shouldn't leave my daughter with the demon!!!" Tamaki bawled, gaining curious looks from the ones rehearsing the final scene for the day.

"Ah, let's get Tamaki out of here, shall we?" Kaoru nervously laughed.

"But what about Haru-chan?!?" Hunny piped in.

"We'll think of something." Mori hushed him and took Tamaki's right arm while Kyouya took a hold of the other, dragging the 'prince' type out of the door.

_Things that make me fearful…_

He sighed and tried to rub off the tension building in him, wanting to melt away and disappear from the place of the planet. It was too much and he couldn't take it anymore – even Bereznoff was going mad. Nekozawa Umehito wasn't the type to deal with a surplus of emotions and now with inner turmoil caused by a small female with a mop of brown hair and doe eyes, he just didn't know how to deal with it. "This is crazy… I'm crazy… She drives me crazy!!!!" He grumbled, exasperated. His greatest fear must not be his fear of light, and bright, shiny things – he had overcome that once – but it could be his fear to pour his heart out to for someone. It was holding him back. It was puzzling him. It was troubling.

"Nekozawa-senpai?"

It was a voice he recognized too well and he damn cursed his never-been-there luck for toying with him like he was a little child's favorite doll, or a dog's newly found bone, or a vain woman's jewelry, never refusing to let him go.

_The gods were pissed off…_

"A-ano, Haruhi. Nice of you to stop by… Ah, ha-ha… I-is there s-something you n-need?" _Really smooth, Nekozawa!_

Neko-Chiisai shook his head and waved his hand as if there were flies in his face, "Here's a really sarcastic comment – I like the stutter in your voice! It's so uncool, blah!" The little Russian blonde crossed his arms and gave a little smirk, taunting the real one. "I'm sure she needs explanations so start talking, lover boy!"

_Damn little brat… Get out of my head!_

"Why, senpai?" Haruhi had started, not minding his previous attempts to smile at her. Nekozawa was forced to wince at the composed tone of her voice, and was annoyed with the squeakiness of his.

"What do you mean 'why'?"

"You kissed me. I demand an explanation, senpai. It seems right to do so, to give me an explanation, you know."

"A-ano… Hai… Haruhi…"

_Kirimi decided that it Saturday would always be 'buy me more mangas' day and dragged him everywhere around Tokyo to look for new volumes and titles that she'd read for the whole week until Saturday rolls by again and she'd buy more. He thought it was a waste of money but when she retorts with a "Your black magic practices is also a waste of time and money, aniki", he had nothing to say anymore. Even Bereznoff admits that his sister was rather snappy and brilliant. It was scary._

_He sat inside their family limousine, waiting for her and their maid, watching the people passing by the various stalls and shops there. The town plaza was Kirimi's favorite haunt because she gets so many discounts whenever she purchases mangas by the sack. He just thought that it was because she was a Nekozawa and the clerks knew of her creepily weird older brother._

_Safe in the confines of the limo, he was out of his usual black coat and wig and was his unknowingly handsome, blonde haired prince-like self._

_There was nothing to do but wait and he was tired of waiting, his patience was very limiting and was ticking away quickly. He let his thoughts flood him and was sorely mistaken of doing so – his thoughts led him to the image of short young man with brown hair and doe eyes. 'I'm very certain that he's a boy.' Bereznoff seemed to be telling him, 'There's no reason to like him, it would a very homosexual – a shonen ai – type of relationship.'_

'_I do not see him that way.' He answered back._

'_Sure, you do!' Neko-Chiisai chirped sarcastically. 'Denial is a fickle mistress, a backstabber.'_

'_Leave me, brat.' The real Nekozawa snapped and Bereznoff has agreed._

'_Oh fine… But definitely you'd look if I tell you I see him over there by the bookstall…' Neko-Chiisai shrugged and faded._

_He looked out his dark-tinted window and spotted him. Or rather… Her… All his speculations were proven correct and that he realized that it was a secret that the Host Club had been harboring for too long._

_Fujioka Haruhi was a girl._

_There was no mistaking that it was her, the 'natural' type, the rookie host._

"_I just can't believe it…" He muttered._

_He looked at her again and felt his heart skip a bit._

"_Good Lord, now I won't be able to keep my mind composed…"_

_She just looked so pretty in the pink dress she was wearing over a pair of jeans, her hair up to her shoulders probably with extensions and the same naïve expression on her face._

'_You do like her.' Bereznoff said._

'_Very precise, Captain Obvious.' Neko-Chiisai mumbled._

"_Maybe… Maybe I do…"_

**TBC**

**A/N:** Review, review, oh please people, review, review!!!


	6. Important Notice

**Notice:**

For the longest time, I've put off continuing/rewriting the stories Dark Cinderella and Blackmail for reasons I'm pretty sure you know yourselves – bad storytelling, events that jump out of nowhere, etc. – and other reasons like school and homework, problems at home and all those. I'm not trying to make excuses because I know that I'm a bad writer.

Now that it's 2010, I've made it a resolution to recycle these two fics of mine even if I know that most of you have dropped it, forgotten all about it and couldn't care less anymore. I just don't want to leave both undone. I think I'm perfectly capable of doing a better job now since I'm older and I have a lot more experience but still not that good.

I've managed to salvage the outline I made for Blackmail but not much luck for Dark Cinderella. Since I can't recall a lot of what I wanted for the latter, it would probably end in a way different from how I wanted it to.

I'm not going to post any chapters soon because I want to make sure that I don't screw up again and disappoint anyone anymore (I hate the feeling that gives me) but I guess a lot of stuff would show up on my Tumblr regarding it.

I'll try very hard so I hope you don't hate me anymore and very sorry if all you've received from me is crap when you've expected something more.

I'll be back soon!


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